HAWAII-based attorney Benjamin Cassiday III, who represented three heir claimants in the Larry Hillblom probate, was barred from leaving the Philippines on theft charges.
According to the Philippine Star’s Monday issue, the 52-year-old Cassiday was arrested by Philippine authorities last January, but he was temporarily freed after posting bail.
Cassiday, however, cannot leave the country because he was placed on the hold departure list of the immigration bureau, the Manila-based newspaper said.
Cassiday represented former Philippine Vice President Salvador H. Laurel in the heirship claims of three alleged Hillblom children—Alexa, Honeylynn and Jeryl Nonan. Laurel served as guardian of the Nonan children in the Hillblom probate.
Unlike Hillblom’s other alleged children, the Nonans did not undergo DNA testing.
Cassiday was sued by Filipino businessman Jose Marfori. The Philippine Star reported that Marfori accused Cassiday of using for his own benefit the money intended for the Nonan children.
In 1996, the lawyer sought the help of Marfori in the search for Hillblom’s alleged children in the Philippines.
Marfori said he used his personal funds in locating the Nonans. Hillblom met the children’s mother, Jocelyn Nonan, in Dec. 1988. She was then a 14-year-old waitress.
Marfori alleged that the $4.6 million to $7 million settlement money had been turned over to Cassiday and Laurel two years ago.
But apart from the $120,000 he received as reimbursement for his expenses, Marfori said he still had to get his 10 percent “share” from the gross amount.
Cassiday is residing in Angeles City, which is north of Manila, “living a lavish lifestyle and frequenting night spots,” according to the prosecutor in the case.
